We are experiencing an extremely delicate period in our country. Resorting to violence against one another is not going to solve any of the underlying issues this country is facing. The best thing that we can do is to learn how to work together again. 

The United States has endured a lot this year. Americans have witnessed natural disasters, police brutality, school shootings, and an ever-increasing partisan divide. While all of these events existed prior to 2020, this year we faced an additional challenge: a global pandemic. With more than 200,000 deaths in the United States alone, COVID-19 has made a permanent mark. The coronavirus pandemic has caused a rise in social unrest and economic disruption, leading to an even more tense nation.

Ending this violence requires a bipartisan and nationally coordinated approach. The first step is to restore order by deploying the National Guard. While the Guard will likely have to use some force against civilians and protesters, the risk of injury from looting and rioting is much higher, and the Guard is needed to flatten the curve of the unrest. It’s sad that we need to send them in, but just like flattening the curve of the COVID-19 virus through social distancing, we must face the music and do it.

Editor’s Note: Jack DeVries is a junior at UNCW studying business. Jack also works as a contributing writer for The Seahawk and is a frequent writer for the Political Perspectives column. All opinions...